Mbalula says Theunissen apology not enough

Briefing journalists after tabling his budget vote in Parliament, Mbalula said Theunissen's apology was not enough and could set a bad example.

"If youngsters are going to say all sorts of things that blacks are what whats and use the K-word. It's going to happen. It's going to mean that Nelson Mandela and his generation would have been tolerant to AWB. Terreblanche, may his soul rest in peace, he never survived with his racism because South Africans, black and white, were united to say this is madness. It's backwardness. It's fascist," said Mbalula.

"It cannot be tolerated, so why should we allow fascist tendencies to project themselves in our society without any intervention to say that this will not be tolerated."

Theunissen's post read: "So no more sporting events for South Africa…I've never been more proud to say that our government are a bunch of K*****S… yes I said it so go f**k yourselves you black fucking c***s."

He was reacting to Mbalula's announcement that government would ban the hosting of big sporting events in South Africa for the rugby, cricket, athletics, and netball codes because of a lack of "real transformation". Theunissen has since apologised through an open letter published by several media houses.

Mbalula said he welcomed criticism and a "plurality of ideas", but Theunissen had gone too far. He suggested Theunissen was drunk when he wrote the post.

"How do we account for drunkenness because when you are drunk the real feelings come out. The whole nation must be held at ransom by a drunken stupor and then followed by an apology," said Mbalula.

"Be sober all the time and be responsible and understand that whatever you do has consequences."

Mbalula did not specify what consequences Theunissen should face. - ANA